Rossi's

Posted: May 1st, 2012




As TOPS magazine’s resident foodie, I consider myself very lucky to be able to sample Lexington’s various restaurants and eateries. Many of these places I am experiencing for the first time. Others, I am getting reacquainted with. That being said, I have a particular relationship and perspective to offer when it comes to Rossi’s.


Of all of the city’s more upscale eating establishments, Rossi’s is the one I’m most familiar with. When I was in college and traveled to visit my mother in Lexington, Rossi’s was one of the first places she took me to eat when it was at its initial, more modestly spaced digs in Chevy Chase. After I moved to Lexington, I ended up waiting tables at the restaurant’s more spacious location in Chinoe Center for several months.


This outing to Rossi’s was the equivalent of a meeting of old buddies grabbing a bite and playing catch- up. What did I discover? Naturally, some things have changed while other characteristics are just as you left them.


Thankfully, one thing that hasn’t changed is the interior, whose sleek, modern and minimalist design, light colored wood and dim lighting has an instant calming effect. The expansive bar still practically zig-zags across the entire length of the restaurant. This is a great place to end up, considering the unique, flavorful and potent martinis they are slinging, which are as big a draw as ever with combinations that span the mixology spectrum.


The first time I noticed something different came upon opening my menu. Chef Robert Myers has taken the reigns in the back of the house from previous chef Rod Jones. With a culinary background in classic French and Italian cooking, Myers knows his way around a sauce and a glaze.


When we got to the appetizers, only a few dishes from my short tenure as a server remained (the always delectable calamari, bleu cheese chips). Patrons can now enjoy offerings like the Mini Hotbrowns or Chef Myers fresh-baked Ciabatta of the Day. I got to try some ultra-classy bar grub in the form of the Sea Horse and Shrimp Beignets, with shrimp and prosciutto-wrapped sea scallops fried up perfectly and served with cocktail and hollandaise sauces. Also, the Napoletana Meatballs were nice and tender, bursting with garlic flavor and simmered in an herby sauce topped with melted Fontinella.


Rossi’s was smart to leave well enough alone with their entrée salads. The Grilled Romaine Salad with an olive tapenade and Warm Goat Cheese Salad were some of my favorite spruce-ups of typical greenery.


My entrées were a sampling that let me know that change can be a fine thing with consistency. While the fried, prosciutto-wrapped sea scallops was a perfect bar snack, the mollusk got a refined treatment with the Spanish Sea Scallops, proficiently seared and flavorful with white wine, lemon butter and the pickled burst of capers. They also gave me a preview of one of the highlighted dishes on its upcoming spring/summer menu with the Dijon Crusted Lamb Chop. It was a version of lamb chop I had yet to experience but was glad I did, with bread crumbs roasted in olive oil and garlic infused with the punch of Dijon mustard served on a mint demi-glaze and served with a risotto highlighted with the welcome spice of saffron.


I didn’t think I had room for dessert until they brought me out a flourless chocolate cake, studded with dark chocolate chips and pastels and served with a side of vanilla ice cream. It was drizzled with a berry puree, which took different notes of blueberry when you ate it with the warm chocolate cake or the cool ice cream. By the time I was scraping the puree off my plate, I realized that if I didn’t have room for dessert, I just made room.


It was nice to get back in touch with Rossi’s with this outing and have a sampling of what they’re up to these days—which indicates that while a few things may have changed, the quality and essence of the restaurant have thankfully remained the same.


859.335.8788   |   1060 Chinoe Rd. Suite 104   |   rossis-restaurant.com

 


Join TOPS on Facebook




tops in lex twitter